Cricket Stadium in Jaffna is a necessity

Budding and talented young cricketers will improve in their game only after having watched international cricketers perform live. This is the only way to improve the standard of cricket in any part of Sri Lanka and this is why there are cricket stadiums built in various cities of Sri Lanka. Watching encounters on television has also helped greatly to improve.

Now that cricket is taken to the North gradually by the Foundation of Goodness in association of cricketing legends like Muttiah Muralidaran, Kumar Sangakkara and Mahela Jayawardena young players are attracted to the game with enthusiasm and fondness. But this tournament is held only once a year and more tournaments should be taken to those areas to promote and attract them into the game.

It is for this reason that a cricket stadium of International standards should be built in Jaffna to begin with. Cricket fixtures between national teams of Sri Lanka and other countries should be played there to encourage the young cricketers in Jaffna and improve their standards. Young players will then try to emulate the styles of internationally famous cricketers and improve in their own game.

This will be good for the country as more talented players will be knocking on the doors to the national team and very soon Sri Lanka will be able to include players from Jaffna.

The Foundation of Goodness headed by Kushil Gunasekera has already purchased 50 aches of land in Killinochchi with the intention of promoting cricket in the North. This is only the first step towards taking international cricket to the North.

Gunasekera said that firstly the Foundation wants to build a sports academy and facilities to train the basic skills. Then expand to build a ground that can conduct local encounters between teams in the province.

“We will go one step at a time. The final goal is to build a stadium of international standard that can hold an international encounter. Muralidaran, Jayawardena, Sangakkara and Russel Arnold are behind all the planning too and will do everything on our own,” said Gunasekera.